New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-09-21
BLOTy UP BY DYNAMITE SHELLS.

z,rtvsy,s sr,ccFssFrI EXPERIMENTS WITH THE
NEW PNEUMATIC TORPEDO GUN.
The experiments with the pneumatic dynamite torpedo
gun conducted yesterday by Lieutenant T. L. VI iinski
before Secretary whitney, of the Navy ana General
John saloneld commanding the Di'ision OF the
Atlantic, and several other prominent military and
naval authorities were thoroughly successful in every
detail and raised the hopes OF the stockholders 10 the
highest pitch The eignrnch gun with which the shots
were tired was mounted at the southern END OF fort
LAFAYETTE and a mile and a half further down the
harbor was anchored dilapidated old schooner pre-
scented by the generosity OF the Navy Department
The United States steamer Ordnance left Governor
Island at 25 D. m carrying General Schoteld, General
Abbott. of the Engineer Corps General Green General
Wbippe, Adjutant- General OF the DIVISION OF inc
Atlantic; Colonel Mordecai, Major Farley Captains
Shaer and Greer Lieutenant Howard OF the ordnance
Department.; Colonel mcfarland. Captains Bersiahd
and RUSSELL and Lieutenants Patrick Richie, Hale ana
Others from the Engineer Corps; Major Randolph,
Major sanger. lleuepants sawyer hainii'oh n.
and Andrews. OF the Artillery and Lieutenant
OF the Cavalry crowd gathered on the parapeis
of Fort Hamilton and the steamer Haze hiIh nia
large contingent Of Leusensni rhs intel states
steamer Dispatch with the naya: authorities on Dosiu
shortly after O'Clock PREPARATION was perfected
and the dan ground between Fort Lafayette ahn
target was cleared by the police boat Patrol The first
shot fired by Idetenant zainski blank cartridge
evidently discharged with view OF ascerthnihg tIe
Correctness OF Iange The elevation nearly correct
As the shot fen abon twenty directly asiern Of the
mark. The gun then loaded with the proecue ann
with an about degrees ana pressure OF
500 pounds TO tins square Inch OF compressor ar lhe
first smell sent whirling through the gaizy Amos
pheIe which hung like hlIny transparent pail over uE
still waters OF rhe Lower Bay The shell struck close 10
the schooner her starboard quarter scnding dense
of scething water in geyserhke column Sky or
eighty feet perendcuary INTO the air ana coppe.ss
eDveloping the vessel. When the spout subsidized me
stern and mainnast OF the schooner were seen to De
shattered and the mast lay wreck over the side Inc
second shell grazed the side o: the floating target cx
plodng by contact and tearing the whole star6oard
broadsde the vessel which careened heavily on
its bge aud rapidly sunk beneath the surface, while the
broken gnens OF the wreck were scattered IN ever
direction Two other shots were fired 20 SHOW tne
WORKING OF the compact fuses, which were admirably
timed aud exploded with great accuracy -,
The results oiaiped foniest hopes Of the
friends OF the new gun and General Abbott whose
opinion OF ats efficacy has always been nsewarm- SAID
thai there was doubt that the dynamite gan was
destined play auxiliary part In coast ana barpor
defenses After the experiments were Concluded Lieu
tenant Zalinski taken board the Dispatch ana
heartily ngratulatcd the satisfactory result OF the
a Mt